Mayor Eric Adams has announced the creation of a new Drone Operations Committee, led by Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Kaz Daughtry, to boost the use of drones for keeping New Yorkers safe. This team, made up of leaders from various city agencies like the NYPD, Fire Department, and Parks Department, will work together to improve how drones are used across the city. Drones are already helping with tasks like watching beaches for sharks, stopping subway surfing, and tracking suspects, and this committee will make these efforts even more coordinated and effective.
Mayor Adams Announces New Drone Operations Committee
Committee Comprised of Leaders from Across City Agencies, Will Strengthen Governance, Oversight, and Innovation in New York City.
— New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced the new Drone Operations Committee and appointed Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Kaz Daughtry as chair. The committee will cement New York City’s position as a national leader in leveraging cutting-edge technology to keep New Yorkers safe as the city has already used drones to keep New Yorkers safe at the beach, protect against subway surfing, track criminal suspects fleeing a crime scene, and more. Deputy Mayor Daughtry and committee members — comprised of leaders from across city agencies — will spearhead a citywide effort to coordinate drone operations across key agencies, including the New York City Police Department (NYPD), the Fire Department of the City of New York, New York City Emergency Management, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, the New York City Department of Buildings, the and New York City Department of Environmental Protection. Agency heads will retain operational control over their respective drone programs.
“New Yorkers deserve to know that when there’s an emergency — whether it’s a terror threat, a protest, or a natural disaster — our administration is using every tool available to keep them safe,” said Mayor Adams. “Drones are the future of public safety, and under Deputy Mayor Daughtry’s leadership, New York City’s first-ever Drone Operations Committee will take this technology to the next level. Kaz has spent his career protecting this city and has spent much of it utilizing new technologies to keep New Yorkers safe, and now he’ll ensure that our drone operations are coordinated, strategic, and always focused on safeguarding the people of New York City.”
“Our public safety strategy is built on interagency coordination, real-time intelligence, and the smartest technology available,” said Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Daughtry. “Drones are a force multiplier — they give us eyes on the ground in seconds, help us coordinate evacuations, monitor critical infrastructure, and keep our first responders safe. I’m honored to lead this team and make sure we’re using these powerful tools in the most effective and responsible way possible.”
As chair of the committee, Deputy Mayor Daughtry will bring together leadership from across city government to oversee policy development and interagency training.
This effort will expand on the city’s existing drone programs, including the NYPD’s pioneering ‘Drone as First Responder’ initiative, which allows drones to autonomously deploy from police precincts and arrive at scenes within minutes, providing live intelligence that helps save lives. New York City also deploys drones to monitor beaches for distressed swimmers and sharks during the summer, prevent injuries and fatalities from subway surfing, monitor large-scale events, track criminal suspects attempting to flee, assess damage after incidents, and protect critical infrastructure.
July 22, 2025 NEW YORK
Sources: NYC.gov , Big New York news BigNY.com
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